These are the #1 C&W hits for 1956.
Actually, that’s a bit misleading. In 1944, Billboard published Juke Box Folk Records (JB). On May 15, 1948, it introduced Best Selling Retail Folk Records (BS). Most Played by Folk Disc Jockeys (JY) debuted on December 10, 1949. It wasn’t until October 20, 1958, that a single chart, Hot C&W Sides, was introduced.
This is why there were 92 #1 country hits in 1956. If a song was #1 on ANY of the charts, it was considered a #1 track.
Crazy Arms – Ray Price (Columbia), 20 weeks at #1. JY-20, BS-11, JB-1 (#27 pop)
Heartbreak Hotel -Elvis Presley, 17 weeks at #1. BS-17, JB-13, JY-12 (also #1 pop)
Singing The Blues – Marty Robbins, 13 weeks at #1. BS-13, JB-13, JY-11 (#17 pop)
Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis Presley, 10 weeks at #1. JB-10, BS-5, JY 2/ (also #1 pop)
Hound Dog – Elvis Presley, 10 weeks at #1. JB-10, BS-5 (also #1 pop)
I Walk The Line – Johnny Cash (Sun), 6 weeks at #1. JB-6, JY-1 (#17 pop)
I Forgot To Remember To Forget – Elvis Presley, 5 weeks at #1. JB-5, BS-2 (did not chart pop)
Why Baby Why – Red Sovine & Webb Pierce, 4 weeks at # 1. JY-4, BS-1, JB-1 (did not chart pop)
Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins (Sun), 3 weeks at #1. JB-3 (#2 pop for four weeks)
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You – Elvis Presley, 2 weeks at #1. BS-2, JB-1 (also #1 pop)
I Don’t Believe You’ve Met My Baby – The Louvin Brothers (Capitol), 2 weeks at #1. JY-2 (did not chart pop)
Other charts
There were other charts besides Billboard in the day, most notably Cash Box and Music Vendor, which became Record World. These are the songs that did NOT reach #1 on the Billboard pop charts but topped the charts of CB or MV in 1956.
Just Walking In The Rain – Johnnie Ray, orchestra and chorus conducted by Ray Conniff (Columbia), which hit #1 on MV for four weeks. #2 on Billboard pop chart for four weeks.
The aforementioned Carl Perkins’ Blue Suede Shoes, which hit #1 on MV for one week.
Canadian Sunset (Heywood) by Hugo Winterhalter & his Orchestra, piano solo by Eddie Heywood (RCA Victor), which hit #1 on MV for one week. #2 for one week on Billboard pop chart.